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After Boris Johnson told the nation that it was going into a state of lockdown on March 23 to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, Lancashire's largest private sector business acted swiftly.

Defence industry giant BAE Systems, which builds and tests fighter jets from its two county sites in Warton and Samlesbury, sent home it's 10,000 employees while it figured out what to approach whether it could continue working under these extremely different circumstances.

Both sites provide key national services to the Royal Air Force as well as international allies including the USA and those in NATO, constructing Eurofight Typhoons and F-35 Lightning jets.

It was therefore decided some were ‘critical’ in delivering national defence and security roles, with a return to work authorised from a key worker perspective.

But how people work has changed, as well as where and when.

There are also plans in place for disruption to normality to remain well in to 2021, we can reveal.

Speaking to LancsLive, Chris Boardman, Group Managing Director for BAE Systems - Air, explains candidly just how life has changed for the biggest employer in the red rose county outside of Lancashire County Council.

Imagery of the F-35 production facilities at BAE Systems in Samlesbury, Lancashire, highlighting the measures put in place to ensure employees have a safe working environment (Image: Paul Earnshaw/BAE Systems)

"When lockdown was announced we decided to pause the business and the reason was we were in conversation with Public Health England and trade unions about health and safety guidlines in the pandemic," Chris said.

"Everyone went home and then quite quickly we decided we are a company in Lancashire with 10,000 employees, supporting the Royal Air Force and out international allies. Our people are very proud of what we do. I am proud of them.

"It was decided we were part of the essential priorities in terms of what the United Kingdom wanted to do.

"That was through the obligations we have with the RAF; they want to keep flying Typhoons and to make sure they can keep training pilots during this. RAF Valley [the air force's base and training school on the Welsh island of Anglesey] has become very important."

There has also been continued international demand, with the United States of America and NATO allies continuing with their demand for F-35 fighter jets.

"The safety of our people is so important and it comes first," Chris said. "We have to find a new normal in these trying times. By doing that, we've been able to meet our obligations, which has been going on for a few weeks now.

"We're a major party of the Lancashire economy so it has been vital that we get back to work as soon as possible."

Within a fortnight of lockdown being announced on March 23, staff began to return to BAE's sites at Warton, between Preston and Blackpool, and Samlesbury, between Preston and Blackburn.

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"The vast majority of our team remain at home and that remains our priority," Chris explained, with a number of services available for those that may be struggling with the effects of social distancing and being isolated, especially if they live alone.

There has also been a rethinking of working operations to fit home schooling in for employees having to take care of educating their children while schools remain closed.

Chris added: "Of the 10,000 in Lancashire, more than 7,000 are still working efficiently from home. The first priority was networks of IT. We've done things people said we could not.

"Our engineers need to access very secure networks to do their jobs - and our guys have worked how to do that remotely."

But of course, aircraft cannot be made from people home's, Chris said.

And after following discussions with trade unions and through following PHE guidelines, BAE - which has 6,000 suppliers - introduced a number off factors to get people back to work.

In normal times there can be between 4,000 and 5,000 people at the Samlesbury site at any one time. Under new guidelines, this has reduced sharply to no more than 1,500 at any one time, helped through new shift patterns.

The Warton site has similar numbers, but its current capacity stands at between 600 and 700 people on site at any one time.

Within the two Lancashire sites, one-way 'road' systems have been installed on the floors and in offices through yellow arrows, with one-way entry and exits to buildings also in place.

Cleaning staff have then been taking it upon themselves to wear bright yellow with messages on their bodies telling staff to stay two metres away.

"It might seem over the top but because life is an antisocial activity for now.. It can be so easy to go back to normal without realising," Chris said.

"You really do have to remind yourself sometimes, it can be hard.

"We have really good people. I am so proud of them in how they can adapt very quickly and recognise the importance we have to the national and regional economy. It's a mighty enterprise and we've some very dedicated people.

"I go out and bang tins and clap every Thursday. Sometimes I feel like I want to do that for our own people too. I would like to give them all a round of applause."

Personal protective equipment has also been used by on-site staff, with Chris saying the company has been keen to make sure it is not taking it away from the health service.

"We will not undertake a take if we don't have the PPE," he said. "We will defer and come back. But up until now that has not been an issue."

Imagery of the F-35 production facilities at BAE Systems in Samlesbury, Lancashire, highlighting the measures put in place to ensure employees have a safe working environment (Image: Paul Earnshaw/BAE Systems)

There has also been a focus to deliver PPE to medical practices and care homes as well as the NHS.

It comes as ONS figures show that since March there has been an increase both in deaths involving Covid-19 and those not involving Covid-19 among care home residents.

The total number of deaths of care home residents in England and Wales up to May 1 this year (and registered up to May 9) was 73,180. This was 23,136 more than the same period last year.

The ONS notes that while 12,526 of these deaths mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, the rest of these “excess deaths” were not linked to Covid-19.

"We're one of the most advanced manufacturers in the UK and I'd argue the world," Chris said.

"One of the key things we have is 3D printing technology. We must have produced 150,000 face shields across the country, with more than 30,000 in the North West."

BAE Systems has also been part of the Government’s Ventilator Challenge, where it has been ramping up production of a proven ventilator design, which has then been supplied by a leading UK medical company to help those suffering from the virus.

Chris said: "Our people are in the mindset of it is their duty to support our nation. Historically it has been the Armed Forces; now it's the health service as well."

Chris' personal belief is that he is preparing for 18 months of disruption to business.

"This is not going away," he said. "There is no cure and no certainty that what we are doing is going to dampen down any time soon.

"I think we can expect this for 18 months. Of course if it's less than that, that would be great.

"But we don't understand this virus. We have to be vigilant and we have to be flexible."

In April, a temporary morgue for up to 1,000 people was constructed at BAE's Warton site by Lancashire County Council, through the conversion of an aircraft carrier, in case of any spikes in deaths during the fight against Covid-19.

To date, it has thankfully not been used during the coronavirus crisis.

"It wasn't something we just did," Mr Boardman said, "we consulted with our people and trade unions as a community because it's not something that we want but we realised it was important.

"To date, I don't think it is in use. It's there just like the Nightingale hospitals. No one wants them to be used.

"But we remain there to help; we're a big part of the Lancashire community."